Thursday, June 09, 2011

Mr. E. Reviews Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (DVD Cover)
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Where is the -- pardon the term -- magic here? The early films inspired a sense of awe, with their grand visuals and creative creatures and imaginative settings. In this film there is none of that. None whatsoever. The plot is little more than Harry and his friends seeking the remaining horcruxes and Lord Voldemort chasing after Harry, not at all very exciting in the least.

Read the full text of our review at Mr. E. Reviews Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.

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Mr. E. Reviews is your source for mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime drama reviews of television and film.

Disturbed Earth by Reggie Nadelson is Today's Featured Free Nook Book Mystery

MystereBooks: Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller eBooks

MystereBooks is pleased to feature a mystery title that is currently available as a Nook Book for free from Barnes&Noble. We don't know how long it will be offered at this special price (typically only until a certain number of downloads have been completed), so download it today!

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Disturbed Earth by Reggie Nadelson
More Information About Disturbed Earth by Reggie Nadelson

Disturbed Earth by Reggie Nadelson
An Artie Cohen Mystery (5th in series)
Walker (Nook Book)
Download Link

About Disturbed Earth (from the publisher): Winter 2003. Still reeling from 9/11, New York City is hit by the worst blizzard in years. On the verge of making peace with his own turbulent life, Artie Cohen is called to investigate a pile of blood-soaked children's clothes found on a Brooklyn beach. Artie is reluctantly drawn into a case that involves the death of one child, the strange disappearance of another, and growing anxiety about the fate of his own godson — all against the backdrop of a city already on edge.

In his increasingly obsessive search for the missing child, Artie veers from posh parties on the Lower West Side of Manhattan to the remote coastal suburbs of Brooklyn, among the Russian community he thought he had left behind, only to discover truths that will haunt him in more ways than one.

Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Josh Lucas Confirmed for NBC's The Firm

The Firm by John Grisham

Producers confirmed today that Josh Lucas (The Lincoln Lawyer, Little Murder, Shadows and Lies) will play attorney Mitchell McDeere in the TV series adaptation of the 1991 legal thriller The Firm by John Grisham. Tom Cruise played the character in the 1993 film adaptation, also titled The Firm.

The storyline is set 10 years after the events in the book (and film). McDeere and his family emerge from isolation in the Federal Witness Protection program to reclaim their lives and their future -- only to find that past dangers are still lurking and new threats are everywhere.

The Firm is expected to be on NBC's mid-season schedule, tentatively set for Sundays at 10 PM (ET/PT).

Review: Senestre on Vacation by Z. K. Burrus

Senestre on Vacation by Z. K. Burrus

Senestre on Vacation by Z. K. Burrus. A Thomas Senestre Mystery. Livingston Press Hardcover, May 2011.

This is an unusual mystery, not so much from a plot perspective but in terms of narrative style. The sentences are choppy, the subjects of paragraphs frequently varying, almost as if the book is written as a stream of consciousness with various thoughts competing for Senestre's -- and the reader's -- attention.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Senestre on Vacation by Z. K. Burrus.

Purchase Options: Amazon.com Print and/or Kindle Edition | Barnes&Noble Print and/or Nook Book Edition

Read the first chapter(s) of Senestre on Vacation below. Use the Aa settings button to adjust text size, line spacing, and word density.

New, Uncensored Poster for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Released

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Last week the first official trailer for the English-language adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was made available online. Now an uncensored NSFW poster has been released by the studio. (Click on the image to the right for a full-size version.)

We suspect that this is an international poster -- the website URL shown is the UK site for the film -- as it is unlikely to be publicly displayed in any US-based theater. No doubt its intended purpose is to add to the overall mystique of the film, not unlike the purportedly illicitly filmed red-band trailer released (by the studio?) over Memorial Day weekend, which has since been removed.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo hits US theaters on December 21st, 2011. (The US website is also now online, DragonTattoo.com, where a slightly censored, though still age-restricted, version of the poster above can be seen.)

I, Spy? by Kate Johnson is Today's Featured Free Kindle Mystery

MystereBooks: Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller eBooks

MystereBooks is pleased to feature a mystery title that is currently available in Kindle eBook format for free from Amazon.com. We don't know how long it will be offered at this special price (typically only until a certain number of downloads have been completed), so download it today!

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I, Spy? by Kate Johnson
More Information About I, Spy? by Kate Johnson

I, Spy? by Kate Johnson
A Sophie Green Mystery (1st in series)
Samhein Publishing (Kindle eBook)
Download Link

About I, Spy? (from the publisher): Sophie Green has just been hired by a highly secret government agency. She drives a car the colour of bile and is obsessed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She doesn't know which end of the gun to fire from and her hair hasn't been natural since she was twelve. But that's not going to stop her from trying to save the day, once she figures out who to save it from.

Sexy spies, plane crashes, firebombs and multi-colored cocktails — they're all in a day's work for Sophie. Roll over, Bond, there's a new bombshell in town. And it's got Sophie's name on it ...

Warning, this title contains guns, swearing, dark thoughts about cheerful people, incomprehensible Britishisms, and painful sarcasm.

(Also currently available as a free Nook book from Barnes & Noble!)

Read the first chapter(s) of I, Spy? below. Use the Aa button to adjust the display settings (font size, line spacing, word density).

CBS Films Plans Film Adaptation of American Assassin by Vince Flynn

American Assassin by Vince Flynn

Last year, we reported that CBS Films, which had acquired the rights to Vince Flynn's series of thrillers featuring Mitch Rapp, was adapting Consent to Kill as the first in a potential film franchise.

Now we're learning that the studio is looking at the most recent book in the series, American Assassin, as the place to start. And in many ways, that makes sense since, though the 11th book published, it is a prequel, outlining how the CIA agent came to be with the Special Operations Group. (Read our review of the book on Mysterious Reviews: American Assassin by Vince Flynn.)

"We were prepping Consent to Kill when Vince told us he was going to tell Mitch Rapp's origin story in American Assassin," said CBS Films president/CEO Amy Baer. "From there it was a natural decision to introduce audiences to Mitch Rapp, the man before he became the legend."

And though Antonie Fuqua was originally attached to this project, Ed Zwick is now on board to direct his own screenplay adaptation.

(Source: Deadline|New York.)

Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Review: Now You See Her by Joy Fielding

Now You See Her by Joy Fielding
More information about the book

Now You See Her by Joy Fielding. Non-series. Atria Hardcover, February 2011.

Though much of the suspense is derived from a mother's search for her presumed dead daughter, and the potentially suspicious motives of those who she enlists to help her, it is the story of a deeply conflicted woman, her strength is at times her most telling weakness, that will compel readers to continue turning the pages.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Now You See Her by Joy Fielding.

Purchase Options: Amazon.com Print Edition | Amazon.com Kindle Edition | Barnes&Noble NookBook | Kobo eBook

Read the first chapter(s) of Now You See Her below. Use the Aa settings button to adjust text size, line spacing, and word density.

Recently Published Indie Mysteries (110607)

Indie Mysteries: Mystery, Suspense and Thriller Books by Independent Publishers

We're always on the lookout for new mystery, suspense and thriller books, and with this post we're introducing a new recurring topic, Indie Mysteries, books published by small, independent publishers, or self-published, that caught our eye ... and may be of interest to you too. Most of these titles, selected primarily from the Smashwords website, are ebook only, though some may be available in a print format.

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Winnie's Web by Felicity Nisbet

Winnie's Web
by Felicity Nisbet
A Jenny McNair Campbell Mystery
2nd in series
The Fiction Works (Ebook)
June 2011

Jenny McNair Campbell, reluctant assistant to her private detective father, moves into the craftsman cottage she has inherited from her beloved bohemian artist great aunt, Winnie. The day she arrives in her new home, located on beautiful Anamcara Island in the Pacific Northwest,she digs up a skeleton in her rose garden. She also discovers that her aunt had enemies. Jenny attributes her unawareness of this to her aunt's ability to see the best in everyone and to her philosophy that what others think of you is none of your business.

Unfortunately Jenny is not as steadfast in her ability to follow that mantra, especially when she is confronted with the unwelcoming committee on the island. She soon realizes that some of the current islanders are carrying on a fifty-year-old grudge which now, with Winnie gone, is directed towards her.

 

Murder on the Pier by Jere Myles

Murder on the Pier
by Jere Myles
Non-Series
Fideli Publishing (Ebook)
June 2011

His time was coming, just like his running, his life was improving with every step he took. Held back only by the speed with which he chose to race, and the people he had to pass on his way. He was indeed on his way to ... His thoughts stopped as he noticed them. But by then, it was too late. And no one would hear him scream. There would be no race next week.

This murder is only the beginning of a sordid number of events. Events etched against the Chicago skyline that will involve every echelon of the Chicago police department and make a talk show host a household name.

Note: This book was originally published in trade paperback in 2008, the first of a trilogy of mysteries set in Chicago, now available at a special price as an ebook.

 

The Lottery Ticket by Tony Eldridge

The Lottery Ticket
by Tony Eldridge
Non-Series
Self Published (Ebook)
June 2011

Seventeen year old Jason Breezey lost his mother when he was eight. Now, he loses his father just months before graduating high school. But unknown to him, his father may have purchased the winning ticket to the largest undivided jackpot in lottery history just days before his death.

Unfortunately for Jason, Martin Chesterfield, The CEO of the firm his father worked for, finds out about the winning ticket. Fueled by greed and power, Martin will stop at nothing to find the ticket and claim the historic prize for himself.

 

Rogue Agent by Sean Sweeney

Rogue Agent
by Sean Sweeney
Non-Series
Self Published (Ebook)
June 2011

When the 2012 Summer Olympics opened in London, security was at a fever pitch. They said it was going to be the safest Olympic Games yet.

They were wrong.

Heightened security did not stop a terrorist attack on the final group stage match of the Olympic soccer tournament between the United States and the host Great Britain, played at the fabled Wembley Stadium, the home of British football.

The CIA calls upon the one agent — Jaclyn Johnson, a.k.a. Snapshot — they can count on to seek out those responsible and bring them to justice.

But what occurs in London during Snapshot’s mission leads to political maneuvering — and Jaclyn going against everything she knows.

 

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For more recently published Indie Mysteries, visit the Smashwords Mystery and Detective category page or the Thriller and Suspense category page.

Crime Scene: NHM After Hours Event Scheduled for June 24th, 2011 in London

Natural History Museum: Crime Scene Event

Later this month, on June 24th, London's Natural History Museum is hosting a special event, Crime Scene: NHM.

The museum needs your help! A body has been found in the museum's garden. Its identity is unknown and the killer remains at large.

To help you get started, you'll meet three of the museum's forensic experts. Learn how they use their knowledge to assist the police and solve crimes. Find out tricks of their trade so that you can comb the crime scene, collect the evidence and process the clues. Then take your evidence to trial where real barristers, police officers and a judge will demonstrate just how important forensic evidence is to a verdict.

Put your skills to the test as a crime scene investigating officer at this immersive event.

Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available online at the Crime Scene: NHM website, where you can also get more details about the event.

The Mystery Bookshelf: An Ordinary Decent Criminal by Michael Van Rooy, a Monty Havikko Mystery

The Mystery Bookshelf: New Mystery,  Suspense and Thriller Books

The Mystery Bookshelf, where you can discover a world of mystery and suspense, is pleased to feature a new crime novel we recently received from the publisher.

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An Ordinary Decent Criminal by Michael Van Rooy
A Monty Havikko Mystery (1st in series)
Minotaur Books (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: June 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-58837-3

An Ordinary Decent Criminal by Michael Van Rooy
More Information About An Ordinary Decent Criminal by Michael Van Rooy

About An Ordinary Decent Criminal (from the publisher): All recovering drug addict and reformed thief Montgomery Haaviko wants to do is settle down with his wife and baby in their new home and work on building a straight life, one free of the day-to-day hustle and danger of being a career criminal. But for a man who’s never held down a legitimate job it isn’t going to be easy.

When Monty foils a robbery in his new home, killing the intruders, he soon finds he has both a small-time crime boss and a star police sergeant looking for ways to ruin him, run him out of town, or kill him. It’s going to take all of the tricks this streetwise ex-con has up his sleeves to prove his innocence, protect his family, and avoid the temptation of the life he left behind.

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About Michael Van Rooy: A full-time writer who lived in Canada, in his diverse career he worked as a teacher, a newspaper editor, a bartender, a cheesemaker, and a casino dealer. He won the 2009 John Hirsch Award for Most Promising Manitoba Writer. He passed away suddenly in January 2011; he was only 42. For more information about his books, visit his website at MichaelVanRooy.com.

Read the first chapter(s) of An Ordinary Decent Criminal below. Use the Aa settings button to adjust text size, line spacing, and word density.

The Dogs of Rome by Conor Fitzgerald is Today's Featured Free Nook Book Mystery

MystereBooks: Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller eBooks

MystereBooks is pleased to feature a mystery title that is currently available as a NookBook for free from Barnes&Noble. We don't know how long it will be offered at this special price (typically only until a certain number of downloads have been completed), so download it today!

— ◊ —

The Dogs of Rome by Conor Fitzgerald
More Information About The Dogs of Rome by Conor Fitzgerald

The Dogs of Rome by Conor Fitzgerald
An Alec Blume Mystery (1st in series)
Bloomsbury (NookBook)
Download Link

About The Dogs of Rome (from the publisher): On a hot summer morning, Arturo Clemente is sloppily murdered in his Roman apartment by a mysterious slasher. Though the murder appears amateurish, even random, Clemente is no ordinary victim. An animal rights activist campaigning against dogfighting, he is married to a prominent politician and sleeping with Manuela Fusco, the daughter of a dangerous crime boss.

Police inspector Alec Blume has a favorite suspect, but the investigation is already being manipulated by both the Senate and the Fusco crime ring. As the details of the case continue to trickle out, Blume soon realizes he is being watched from on high—and that solving this crime may be the least of his worries. Angry, sleep-deprived, and unsure who to trust, Blume is losing control of his investigation. As the mob tightens its grip on the city, and with the killer still at large, Blume’s struggle for justice may cost more innocent lives.

(Also currently available as a free Kindle edition from Amazon.com!)

David Hewson to Write Novel based on Crime Drama The Killing

The Killing (AMC)

Pan Macmillan recently acquired the novelization rights to the Danish crime drama Forbrydelsen, which is airing in the UK as The Killing. The US adaptation of the series, also titled The Killing, is currently airing on AMC. (This past Sunday's sideways episode notwithstanding, The Killing is an exceptional mystery series. And with only two episodes remaining, we still haven't figured out whodunit.)

Now we're learning that crime novelist David Hewson, author of the Nic Costa mysteries set in Rome, will write the adapted novel ... and which also may be the first of a series. "I'm flattered to know that it's going to be my task to bring this acclaimed classic series to the printed page," he says. "Rome and Copenhagen are very different places, but both wonderful stages for compelling crime fiction. I can't wait to start work with my first trip to Denmark in a few weeks."

(Source: The Bookseller.)

Monday, June 06, 2011

Lilian Jackson Braun, Author of The Cat Who Mysteries, Dies

The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lilian Jackson Braun

Lilian Jackson Braun, the author of the bestselling "The Cat Who ..." mystery series, has died. She was 97.

Her first book in the series, The Cat Who Could Read Backwards, was published in 1966, and introduced Jim Quilleran, a journalist living in an unnamed Midwestern city, who solves crimes with his Siamese cats Koko and Yum-Yum. A total of 29 books in the series were published; she was working on the 30th, when she died.

Following the publication of her first mystery, Braun wrote two more, then a span of some 20 years passed before the fourth in the series was published. She worked for the Detroit Press in the interim.

Braun and her husband Earl moved to North Carolina following her retirement. She served as the honorary writer in residence for a local library as well as honorary chairperson of a library card sign-up campaign, where she created the tag line, "A library card is the beginning of a lifelong adventure."

(Source: BlueRidgeNow.com.)

Review: These Dark Things by Jan Merete Weiss

These Dark Things by Jan Merete Weiss
More information about the book

These Dark Things by Jan Merete Weiss. A Natalia Monte Mystery. Soho Crime Hardcover, May 2011.

This sparely written mystery has a surprising amount of contrast and depth to it, a complex story populated with an eclectic group of characters. The Naples Carabinieri Captain's investigation yields a credible list of suspects, which will likely keep readers guessing whodunit to the end.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: These Dark Things by Jan Merete Weiss.

Purchase Options: Amazon.com Print Edition | Amazon.com Kindle Edition | Barnes&Noble NookBook | Kobo eBook

Read the first chapter(s) of These Dark Things below. Use the Aa settings button to adjust text size, line spacing, and word density.

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